Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is an integral part of many telecommunications solutions, which allow callers to access specific information by interacting with an answering automaton through Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keypad input or voice recognition. Some of the typical usages of IVR include call distribution in a call center or direct access to information such as telebanking, airlines, etc.
In order to provide a satisfactory caller experience, parameters such as what questions are asked by the system, what user input is expected, how the user input is interpreted, how the automaton reacts to user input, etc. may be considered in IVR design. The IVR design process is a challenging one. Generic approaches may increase the risk of design flaws, while restrictive approaches may limit the design to basic patterns. For example, a basic call routing and queuing solution based on a static form where the IVR creator can enter simple questions and answers may be easy to understand, but can be restrictive in terms of design parameters. On the other hand, an application enabling the IVR creator to design visually a state-based workflow with various building blocks (message, decision, etc) may be flexible and powerful, but may require a significant learning curve and lack general guidance relative to the subsequent steps in the design process.